The United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) says it has completed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Investor Maps in nine African countries.

Sarah Poole, deputy assistant administrator and officer-in-charge of the UNDP regional bureau for the Arab states, announced this at a virtual event on Tuesday.

The event, organised by UNDP and African Development Bank (AfDB), was tagged ‘Africa Continental Investor Convening: Partnering for SDG Investments in the Green & Blue Economy in Pursuit of Agenda 2063’.

The SDG Investor Map is a market intelligence product produced by UNDP country offices and partners to help private investors (funds, financiers, corporations) identify investment opportunities and business models that have significant potential to advance the SDGs.

The map aims to provide investors with actionable data and insights to use their capital for a good while making a financial profit. UNDP helps to fill the SDG-financing gap by directing private capital to where it can most make a difference to people and the planet.

Ms Poole said UNDP was finalising such investor maps in another six African countries. She added that in sub-Saharan Africa, the investor maps had been completed in Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Djibouti and Mauritius.

The UNDP official further mentioned that Eswatini, Gabon, Malawi, The Gambia, Tanzania, Morocco and Tunisia were preparing for or developing their SDG Investor Maps.

She also stated that increased investment in the blue and green economy would help improve the livelihoods of all African people.

“As of today in Africa, UNDP has completed SDG investor maps in nine countries while finalising such maps in another six countries, and we are keen to support more countries who are interested in this initiative. African SDG investor map identified 245 investment opportunities, half of which are geared towards the blue and green economy,” Ms Poole stated.

She added, “The focus of today’s event is where there is immense opportunity in the energy transport, agriculture and forestry, as well as in fisheries and marine resources. We are excited to showcase a sample of the investment opportunities identified through our African SDG investor map at today’s event.”

Ms Poole explained that “we look forward to the contributions from our spotlight countries, Djibouti, Mauritius and Nigeria, with many thanks to the national counterparts present here as they demonstrate how their countries are ready for SDG investments.”

The UNDP official further said the panel would discuss how private and public institutions could support the acceleration of investments in the green and blue economy, drawing country examples and capitalising on regional integration opportunities.

(NAN)